Two Paths Joining
by BookMagus
Summary: One never had enough attention. Another has too much. Both need a friend. And one unlikely event seals the fate of these two boys, changing their lives. Forever.
1. The Beginning

"And remember, Keefe- _behave._ I don't want to hear a single thing about my son involved in any _pranks_ at the Opening Ceremonies." The man said to Keefe, his immaculate hair gleaming in the light.

The boy shrank back in fear at the sound of his fathers voice. "Yes, Father." He whispered.

The man smiled a cruel smile. "Good. Go on now!"

Keefe hurried away, glad to be freed of his father at last. Suddenly, a blue blur slammed into the child. Both people fell down onto the ground.

"And who are you?" Keefe asked incredulously.

The blue blur stumbled to his feet and brushed off his halycon costume. "So sorry! My name is Fitz. Fitz Vacker."


	2. The Curtian Opens

Keefe looked up, startled. " _The_ Fitz Vacker?" He asked the dark haired boy with startlingly teal eyes.

The boy looked down and nodded, embarrassed. "Why is that such big deal?" He asked Keefe.

"I was just...surprised, that's all." Keefe said slowly, choosing his words carefully.

"Why were you surprised?" Fitz asked curiously.

Keefe looked down at the ground and fiddled with his hands nervously. "I didn't expect you to interact as politely, as you might say." He mumbled.

Fitz looked taken aback. "Why shouldn't I act like everyone else during a conversation?"

"Well, I mean, with you being a Vacker and all, I was expecting you to be a little more...pompous." Keefe said.

Fitz shook his head. "I don't act like that." He said firmly.

"ALL PRODIGIES, PLEASE PROCEED TO YOUR CORRESPONDING AGE GROUP!" A mentor yelled. "FOLLOW THE INTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO YOU BY THE MENTOR IN CHARGE OF YOUR LEVEL!"

Keefe jogged away from Fitz, grateful for the mentor's interruption. Peering over the crowd, he saw a crowd of elves clothed in black at the very front of the backstage area. Keefe weaved around people and slipped into the Level Ones just as the mentor in charge appeared. The mentor motioned for everybody to gather around him, then cleared his throat. " _Ahem._ Good evening, prodigies. My name is Sir Conley, and I am the mentor in charge of this Level today. Please line up by height; tallest people in the back of the line, shortest people in the front."

The Level Ones responded accordingly, and soon they were ready to appear onstage. Keefe's stomach was churning from nervousness. _What if I make a mistake?_ He worried. _Father will surely be angry._ But then the line of people in front of Keefe was moving forward onto the stage, and Keefe had no choice but to follow them.

The bright lights dimmed, and the music for the gremlin dance started. Keefe growled and stomped along with the other prodigies, executing the dance perfectly. The audience clapped appreciatively and the Level Ones were led off the stage.

* * *

Back behind the stage area, the gremlin attitude was dropped, and soon elves dressed in gremlin costumes were running around backstage, shouting amidst their game of tag. Suddenly, Sir Conley appeared. "LISTEN UP AND GATHER AROUND, LEVEL ONES!" He yelled. When all of the prodigies were gathered around and quiet, Sir Conley continued. "AFTER THE LEVEL SIXES ARE DONE PERFORMING THEIR DANCE, ALL OF THE OTHER LEVELS WILL RE-ENTER BACK ONTO THE STAGE. WE WILL ENTER FIRST..."

Keefe tuned out the rest of Sir Conley's instructions and quietly slipped out of the group of gremlins. He wasn't going to hang around in the boring backstage area with all the rest of the people! No sir, he was going to spend this valuable time exploring the rest of Foxfire.


	3. Encore

Quietly, Keefe crept through the halls of Foxfire, his photographic memory plotting his path. Keefe smiled. _That was easier than expected._

Corner after corner he turned, and soon he found himself in the Level Four atrium. Suddenly, Keefe froze. There was a noise echoing down one of the hallways!

Slowly, he moved closer to the entrance of the hallway that was making the noise, and Keefe realized with a start that the sound he was hearing was sobbing. Soft, quiet sobbing, but sobbing nevertheless. Swiftly, Keefe crept down the white hallway, heading towards whoever-or whatever-was crying.

Keefe peeked around the corner of the hallway. What he saw startled him so much that he jumped back, his heart racing. Had he just seen Fitz _Vacker_ crying?! Slowly, Keefe stuck his head back around the corner of the hallway intersection. He whipped his head back just as fast as before. There was no doubt about it. Fitz Vacker was sitting on the ground, in the middle of a Level Four hallway, sobbing.

 _What_ _could_ _possibly_ _make_ _Fitz_ _Vacker_ _cry?_ Keefe wondered as he contemplated what to do next. _It must be something bad; his life is not that far from perfect!_

Suddenly, Keefe realized something: He and Fitz were not that different after all. On the outside, Keefe's life also looked picture-perfect, with a "loving" Mother and Father, both in the Nobility. But on the inside, Keefe was a lonely person, an island in the middle of stormy waters. He wanted a friend. Maybe that was what Fitz wanted: A friend! I mean, there is no harm in trying… Keefe thought as he crept closer to the crying boy.

"I'm s-sorry that I made you c-cry; I d-didn't mean t-to! I was j-just surprised when y-you ran into me-I am an only ch-child, s-so usually I d-don't get r-run over v-very often." Keefe said aloud, stuttering from nervousness. Fitz jumped from surprise at Keefe's voice, his head whipping around to see who was talking. When he saw that it was just Keefe, the boy he ran into earlier, he slumped down further from relief.

In that millisecond of eye contact that Keefe had had with Fitz, he had seen in his eyes an indescribable loneliness. That settled it for Keefe. He needed a friend, and Fitz Vacker needed a friend.

Keefe stooped down, and awkwardly hugged Fitz around the shoulders. "It's okay." He whispered. "You aren't the only one in the world that feels lonely."

Fitz looked up at Keefe. "How did you know that I was lonely?" He mumbled through his tears.

Keefe shrugged. "I'm good with people." He said.

Fitz sighed and leaned his head against the wall. "You must think it's stupid that I feel lonely-my life must look perfect to you." He whispered, almost to himself.

Keefe withdrew his arms and shook his head. "It's not stupid-I'm lonely too." He said.

"Why are you lonely?" Fitz asked, a curious gleam in his eyes.

Keefe mulled that question over in his brain for a minute before finally answering Fitz. "It's because I don't have any other friends or siblings that could understand my world and my thinking." He concluded.

Fitz nodded. "I feel the same way." He whispered.


	4. Revelations and Trouble

Keefe and Fitz sat in a comfortable silence against the wall, each boy lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly, Fitz turned to face Keefe. "Please forgive me-my manners today are not exactly the best! I don't even know what your name is, and it hasn't even crossed my mind to ask until now! What is your name?" He asked, smiling at his own rudeness.

Keefe smiled back at Fitz. "My name is Keefe." He said. "Keefe Sencen."

Fitz rolled his eyes and smacked his forehead in an exaggerated manner. "I can't believe I didn't recognize you!" He said in astonishment. "With your father's eyes and your mothers hair, you are quite the look alike!"

Keefe sighed. "That's the problem." He mused. "My father wants me to be like him, down to the most microscopic detail. But I'm not like him-I prefer to have fun with life."

Fitz nodded. "I can relate to that." He said. "I feel pressure from the public. Everyone expects me to be as or even more powerful a Telepath than my father. But what if I don't manifest as one?"

Keefe and Fitz looked at each other. "I guess we are not so different after all." Keefe said softly. Fitz nodded in agreement.

* * *

The two boys continued talking, forgetting entirely about the Opening Ceremonies. Fitz and Keefe exchanged stories, shocked at how similar their lives actually were.

* * *

Suddenly Keefe looked at Fitz with alarm."The Opening Ceremonies!" He gasped.

Immediately, FItz checked the time. "The Elite Levels' dance just finished! We have to hurry back!" He said to Keefe.

Keefe was pale and shaking. "N-no...I c-can't go b-back…" He stuttered, his whole body trembling at the idea.

Fitz looked concernedly at his newfound friend. "I bet that they are all looking for us right now. How about you stay over at my place for the night? I don't think my parents will mind, and besides…" Fitz shivered. "I don't like the idea of you in the vicinity of an angry Lord Sencen."

Keefe looked gratefully over at Fitz. "Thanks." He whispered.

Fitz waved him away. "No problem." He said with a confident smile.

* * *

The two boys ran through the hallways of Foxfire, Keefe's impeccable memory guiding him and Fitz back to the stage. "Ready?" Fitz asked in a whisper, one hand on the door leading outside.

"Ready." Keefe replied.

And so the boys opened the door and stepped outside into a panicked crowd.

"There they are!" One elf called, and the crowd surged toward Keefe and Fitz.

"Where were you?" Della cried, reaching Fitz first and hugging him tight.

Alden arrived on the scene. "We were so worried!" He exclaimed, joining the hug.

Alvar and Biana were the last to arrive, but greeted Fitz with no less relief.

"Don't ever do that again, Fitz!" Alvar lectured. "You nearly gave everyone a heart attack!"

Biana nodded along with Alvar, agreeing to his statement, and they joined Della and Alden in the family hug.

* * *

Keefe's father walked towards him, the crowd parting as if repelled by a magnet. Keefe trembled from head to foot at the sight of his father even sterner than usual. "Let's go. We'll talk about this at home." Lord Sencen hissed at his son.

At that very moment, Fitz looked over at the shaken Keefe and his angry father. Quickly he took charge of the situation. "Mom?" He whispered.

"What is it, Fitz?" Della replied.

"Can Keefe sleep over at our house tonight?" He asked.

Della's eyebrows shot up. "Let me...talk to your dad about that." She said. Quickly, she went over to Alden and discussed the matter with him.

Alden looked over at Fitz and nodded. "I guess e can, if it's alright with his parents." He said to Fitz.

Immediately, Fitz rushed over to Keefe and Lord Sencen. "Excuse me, Lord Sencen?" He asked politely.

"What is it?" He asked Fitz.

"Can Keefe please sleepover at my house tonight?" Fitz asked.

Cassius looked almost too pleased. "Of course." He said, smiling his eerie smile.

Fitz looked up at Lord Sencen. "Thank you!" He exclaimed. Then he pulled a relieved Keefe away from his father and towards the Vacker family.


	5. The Vackers

Fitz pushed Keefe forward in front of his family. "Keefe, this is my family."

Alvar flashed a smile at Keefe. "So this is Fitz's new friend, huh?" He teased. "I'm Fitz's older brother, Alvar."

Biana shoved Alvar by his shoulders in a teasing way. "Stop it, Alvar! Can't you see that you're making him nervous? Oh, and by the way, I'm Biana, Fitz's younger sister."

Della looked over at Biana and Alvar. "None of that, you two!" She said sternly, but her smile told everyone otherwise. Della turned to Keefe. "Please excuse my children, Keefe. Call me Della."

Alden smiled kindly at the shy boy. "And I'm Alden." He said, concluding the introductions.

"Nice to meet you, Lord Vacker, Lady Vacker, Alvar, Biana." Keefe whispered shyly, his confidence levels dropping.

Della fanned her face. "Please, do away with the formal titles-just Della and Alden, ok?"

Keefe nodded, a smile gracing his lips. "Ok, just Della and just Alden."

Alden and Della laughed. Alvar pulled out his home crystal from his pocket. "Well? Shall we?" He asked.

Alden and Della linked arms and everyone stepped closer to Alvar. "Lets go!" Fitz called, and the family (plus Keefe) glittered away.

* * *

Keefes mouth hung open. "Wow. This is where you live?" He asked Fitz, part in awe and part in incredulity.

Fitz looked down and blushed. "Yeah."

Della walked towards Fitz, blinking in and out. "Welcome to Everglen, Keefe!" She said, gently taking his hand and pulling him along.

Keefe looked at Dellas hand wrapped around his with fear and apprehension. Della, noticing this, released Keefes hand and beckoned to him. "If you need anything, just ask! Don't be shy-our house is visitor friendly!" She said, ushering him into the mansion. Keefe looked all around him with eyes as wide as saucers. He shook his head. "After this, I don't think I can ever be surprised again!" He exclaimed.

Fitz shook his head, a rueful smile on his face. "If this is shocking, wait until you see the dining room." He said, pulling Keefe towards a set of stairs. "Mom, Dad, I'm going to go show Keefe my room!" He called.

Alden and Della simultaneously looked up. "Ok, Fitz, go ahead, but don't be too long because supper is going to be on the table soon!" Della called. Alden smiled at Fitz and took Dellas hand, leading her away.

"Can I come? Can I come?" Biana pleaded.

Fitz shook his head. "No, not right now, Biana." He said. Biana's shoulders dropped and she sighed. "But you can hang out with us after dinner!" He called after her receding figure. Biana turned around, the biggest smile on her face, and gave Fitz and Keefe a thumbs up.

Alvar cleared his throat. "Well, nice meeting you, Keefe." He said, extending a hand to shake. "I'm sure I will learn more about you over supper-but until then, adieu!" He said after Keefe shook his proffered hand. Alvar swiftly jumped up the stairs, two at a time. He blinked while he climbed the stairs, though, making it twice as trippy.

Keefe shook his head vigorously to clear his brain. Everything was happening so fast!

Fitz grabbed Keefes arm and dragged him up the stairs. "C'mon, Keefe!" He panted. "Use some of your muscles, at least!"

Keefe rolled his eyes but climbed the remainder of the stairs himself. The stairs connected to a landing that stretched into a hallway that contained three doors. Each door was labeled with a name, and the corresponding persons favorite color. Bianas was a hot pink. Fitzs was a baby blue, and Alvars was a deep red, almost a maroon.

"Well? Aren't you coming?" Fitz asked, tapping his foot impatiently against the floor.

Keefe swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing, and nodded. "Ready." He whispered.

Fitz bumped Keefes shoulder and smiled teasingly. "Relax, Keefe! We're only looking at my room-unless it's the presence of people belonging to the female gender that is making you nervous?"

Keefe cracked a smile, his shoulders dropping. "Ok. Let's go inside." He said.

Fitz opened the door and stepped back, allowing Keefe to step into the room and observe. The walls in his room were a pale blue, almost white, and the dark brown furniture complemented the walls perfectly. The desk was situated in the upper right hand corner of the room under the single window in a way that let the light from the outside while directly onto the workspace. Fitzs bed was in the upper left hand corner of the room with creamy white sheets and a tastefully designed blue coverlet covered with brown stripes. The pillows were the same shade of white as the sheets. All of the cloth was made of either satin or silk and looked extremely expensive.

There was a closet in the wall at the foot of the bed, and a chest of drawers pushed up against the wall across from it. Other than that, though, the room seemed bare, lifeless, and cold.


	6. Everglen

"This is...different from what I expected." Keefe said slowly, still taking it all in.

Fitz jumped up and smacked his forehead. "How could I forget? One second, I need to show you something."

Fitz ran over to the window and pulled the curtain closed so that the room was bathed in shadow. Then he snapped his fingers 3 times. Suddenly, the room lit up, and Keefe was filled with wonder and awe.

The room, so plain and dull before, was now bathed in tiny pinpricks of light. They pulsed like a star on a cloudless night and were all slightly different shades of white.

"This is...amazing!" Keefe exclaimed.

Fitz smiled at his friends joy. "Watch this." He ordered.

Keefe looked up at Fitz obligingly, and Fitz started to spin. His fingers became magnets to the pulses of light. When it seemed like he had collected every remaining piece of light, Fitz brought his hands down in a sharp swooping motion. The light burst forth from his fingers, creating fractals and patterns in the air before settling down once more. Keefe smiled at the light, lazily running his hand through it. His fears and worries had disappeared for the moment and all he felt was a pure, bright joy that lit him up on the inside.

"Fitz! Keefe! Time for supper!" Della called. Her voice snapped Keefe out of his reverie as Fitz sprang into action, snapping his fingers three times to make the lights disappear. Fitz opened the door for Keefe and the two boys walked down the staircase together in silence-Fitz reflecting on the day; Keefe's worries coming crashing back down onto his thin shoulders.

 _What if I mess up? What if I offend Fitz, or his family? How did I even get here?_ Keefe wondered, his hands twisting around themselves in nervousness.

"Let's go, Keefe!" Fitz exclaimed. Then he looked at Keefes expression, and said (in a gentler tone) "You have already met the family-how hard can dinner be?"

Keefe nodded and took a deep breath, smoothing the wrinkles out of his fancy tunic. The two boys descended the stairs together and entered the dining room.

Jewels glittered on the walls, casting little sparkles on the ceiling and the floor. The table was a dark mahogany and set with white dishes trimmed in gold. The silverware next to the plates were of a polished white gold, and the crystal glasses completing the look shone.

Fitz laughed once again at Keefes expression. "I thought you would be surprised-you look like a fish out of water!" He said.

Keefe shook himself, and looked over to where the Vackers (minus one Fitz) were sitting. "Thank you for inviting me to dinner." He said shyly.

Della smiled at the small boy in front of her. "It's our pleasure."

"It sure is!" Alden exclaimed, taking Dellas hand. "Any friend of Fitz is always welcome."

Their words filled Keefe with a foreign emotion. It glowed and spread through his whole body, warming him from head to toe. It was only after they had sat down that Keefe was able to pinpoint it.

 _Love._ He thought, amazed. _This is what it feels like to be cared for._


End file.
